PADI SCUBA DIVING COURSES
PADI SCUBA DIVING COURSES
Whatever your level of interest or experience in scuba diving, we are able to help you to enjoy your diving. Our Dive Centre in Weymouth is a 5 Star IDC Centre and our resident Course Director on hand to offer advice and assist you in planning your diving. Our instructors have over 25 years of experience teaching around the world in England, Australia, South Africa and the Red Sea.
Details of the PADI SYSTEM OF DIVING:
PADI BUBBLEMAKER
This program introduces scuba as an activity that allows children from 8 – 10 years to experience the underwater world. Under close supervision, a PADI professional will introduce children to scuba in a confined body of water with a depth limit of 2 metres.
PADI JUNIOR OPEN WATER DIVER
This course is designed for the younger generation of 10 – 15 years. It follows the same format as the adult course with the only restrictions being depth limits. A Junior Open Water Diver of 10 – 11 can dive to a depth of 12m with a parent/guardian or a PADI professional. A Junior Open Water Diver of 12-15 can dive to a depth of 18 m with a parent/guardian or a PADI professional.
PADI DISCOVER SCUBA DIVING
This experience quickly moves you into the open water environment. After a brief introduction in the theory of diving you will have the chance to learn the basic skills in confined water. The follows an option Open Water dive to complete the experience.
PADI SCUBA DIVER
The PADI Scuba Diver course is a sub course within the Open Water Diver course and will allow individuals with time constraints (or due to inclement weather) to gain a PADI certification. Upon completion of 3 Knowledge Development sessions, the first 3 confined water sessions and the first 2 Open Water dives you can then dive with a certified PADI professional and enjoy your underwater adventures. From here it is a small step to obtain your Open Water certification.
PADI OPEN WATER DIVER
This course is the most popular diving certification in the world. Its your ticket to a lifetime’s adventure, as it will qualify you to dive with a buddy independent of supervisions while applying the knowledge and skills you learn on this course. You will earn this rating by completing the Knowledge Development session, 5 pool dives and 4 open water dives.
PADI OPEN WATER REFERRAL
The PADI Referral course will allow youn to make the most of your time on your holiday. You can start your training in the UK with the Knowledge Deveopment and your pool sessions under your belt. Your instructor in resort will complete your final four Open Water dives over twi days.
PADI ADVANCED OPEN WATER COURSE
This is your next step following your PADI Open Water course. The Advanced course offers you a structured programme where you can expand your diving experience and build on the knowledge you have learned from your PADI Open Water course. The Advanced course has something for everyone with the bulk of the course being in water performance based. You will make a total of 5 days, two of which must be a deep dive and a navigation dive. You then choose 3 other dives from an interesting list of drift, night, wreck, photography, peak performance buoyancy, enriched air, dry suit, naturalist, boat, videography.
PADI RESCUE DIVER COURSE
This is an important step in expanding a diver’s knowledge and experience beyond a purely recreational level. During the course you will learn how to assist others and gain skills to prevent and handle diving emergencies. Uring this course you will be put through your paces, undertaking 12 training exercises. There is a knowledge development section to this course and you are required to have passed a sanctioned course in CPR and Rescue Breathing within the past two years.
The PADI EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONSE is highly recommended and can be used to fulfil this requirement.
PADI SPECIALITIES
During the course of your diving, you will begin to realise what interests you most in diving, and may wish to learn most about particular aspects of diving in one of the many specialty courses that our dive centres offer. Specialities include: Peak performance Buoyancy, boat, wreck, deep, drift, photography, videography, fish I.D., Equipment Specialty, Aware Fish ID, Enriched Air, Dry Suit, Underwater Naturalist On Completion of five specialities, and your Rescue Diver course, you can apply to be awarded the coveted PADI MASTER SCUBA DIVER rating, the highest non-professional diving certification awarded by PADI.
PADI DIVEMASTER COURSE
This is the first step towards a Professsional qualification and become a member of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. You must be over 18 years of age and have a minimum of 20 logged dives to enter the divemaster programme. The internship course has a recommended training period of 50 hours and is offered in all our resorts. This course will develop your academic knowledge and various water skills including pool and open water sessions up to Instructor level. On completion of your Divemaster certification you will be able to organise and conduct diving activities.
DIVE CERTIFICATION DEPTH LIMITS
Bubble Maker - 2m
Discover Scuba Diver - 12m
Scuba Diver - 12m
Junior Open Water Diver - 12 / 18m
Open Water Diver - 18m
Advanced Open Water Diver - 30m
Deep Diver Specialty - 40m
Technical Diving
There is now the opportunity to venture deeper for longer with courses under DSAT Tec Rec programmes, ApprenticeTec. Tec Deep and Tech Trimix. These courses
require technical equipment and extensive theory knowledge, but for those looking for a challenge and to extend their diving, this may be the path for you.
SPECIALTY COURSES
AWARE - CORAL REEF CONSERVATION
To enroll in this course participants need only have an interest in the aquatic world. There is no minimum age or experience requirement.
The course covers information about coral reef distribution, diversity, formation
and ecology. It also reveals factors that threaten reefs and discusses conservation
measures to protect these living resources. It teaches divers, snorkellers and nondivers about the vital role coral reefs play in the marine environment and how these ecosystems are currently threatened. The course familiarizes participants with the current state of the world's coral reefs and explains how individuals can help protect the living reef from further decline
AWARE – FISH IDENTIFICATION
Designed to introduce divers to the most common families and species of fish found in temperate and tropical waters. Divers learn basic fish identification and scientific surveying techniques. Divers also learn the importance of personal involvement
in aquatic environment conservation.
BOAT DIVER
This course is an introduction to boat diving and to helps divers develop the skills, knowledge and techniques necessary for boat diving from hardboat, liveaboards and RIBS. It includes: The planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems
and hazards of boat diving. Proper boat diving etiquette -- storage of personal equipment, personal conduct and considerations for care of the boat. Basic, common boat terminology. Specific boat diving laws and/or ordinances. Local boat diving laws and/or ordinances. An overview of emergency/safety equipment needed on-board
private diving vessels.
DEEP DIVER
This course covers the knowledge, skills and techniques for deeper diving and
Includes the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems
and hazards of deep diving. Risk factors and decompression-tables review. Safety stops and emergency decompression procedures. Special equipment, descent lines and buoyancy-control considerations. Procedures for flying after diving and high-altitude diving. An orientation to recompression chambers.On successful completion of the course candidates will be able to dive to a maximum of 40 meters.
DRIFT DIVER
This course covers the knowledge and techniques of drift diving. It includes
The planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems
and hazards of drift diving. Special equipment -- floats, lines, reels. Proper procedures for buoyancy-control, navigation and communication. Site selection and overview of aquatic currents – causes and effects. Techniques for staying close to a buddy or together as a group.
DRY SUIT DIVER
The purpose of the PADI Dry Suit Diver specialty course is to familiarize
divers with the skills, knowledge, planning, organization, procedures,
techniques, problems, hazards and enjoyment of diving with a
dry suit. The Dry Suit Diver specialty course is intended to serve as a
training program that emphasizes adventure and fun while establishing
the benefits of dry suit diving and developing the skills required.
The goals of PADI Dry Suit training are to develop the student’s knowledge of dry suits — when to use dry suits, types of dry suits available, dry suit accessories, their
maintenance, and how to make minor repairs. To develop the student’s ability to perform the skills needed, or that may be needed, when diving in a dry suit. To enable the student diver to plan, organize and conduct dives using a dry suit.
ENRICHED AIR
This course covers the knowledge, skills and techniques for diving with enriched air.
This course is designed to qualify recreational divers to use enriched air (“nitrox”) for no stop recreational diving. The program addresses the use of enriched air with 22 percent to 40 percent oxygen, with emphasis on enriched air with 32 and 36 percent oxygen.
* Open Water Diver course students who have completed Open Water Dives 1, 2 and 3 may complete Enriched Air Training Dive 1 combined with Open Water Dive 4.
Students completing this option must be certified as PADI Open Water Divers prior to
Enriched Air Training Dive 2.
EQUIPMENT SPECIALIST
This course is intended to familiarize divers with the operation and maintenance
of equipment. It is not an equipment repair course. Training relative to the
repairing and overhauling of equipment, except for very minor servicing, is not
to be part of the course. Included is the theory, principles and operation of diving equipment. Routine, recommended care and maintenance procedures,
and equipment storage. Common problems with equipment and recommended
professional maintenance procedures (May include a demonstration
of repair procedures.) Simple suggestions for comfortable equipment configurations and an introduction to new equipment.
MULTI-LEVEL DIVER
This course is designed to be an introduction to multilevel diving and to help
divers develop the necessary skills, knowledge and techniques of multilevel diving.
It explains the definition and advantages of multilevel diving. Methods of calculating multilevel dives (The eRDP and/or dive computers). Review of decompression sickness theory, emergency decompression procedures and PADI’s S.A.F.E. Diver campaign. Procedures for flying after diving. Guidelines, rules and procedures for multilevel diving with the Wheel and/or diving computers. Care and maintenance of dive computers.
NIGHT DIVER
An introduction to night diving to help the divers develop the skills, knowledge and techniques necessary to safely participate in night-diving activities. It includes the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of night diving. Proper procedures for buoyancy control, navigation and communication. Use of dive lights and buddy-system techniques. Disorientation and emergency procedures. Orientation to nocturnal aquatic life.
PEAK PERFORMANCE BUOYANCY
The purpose of the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty course is to
polish a diver’s buoyancy control beyond the Open Water Diver level. The goal
of the training is to enhance the diver’s buoyancy control abilities through knowledge development and practical skills practice, including
• Fine-tuning buoyancy underwater
• Weight position and distribution
• Streamlining
• Visualization
Use of PADI’s “Basic Weighting Guidelines
• Positioning and distributing weight for comfort and desired body position
• Buoyancy checks
• Establishing neutral buoyancy during all segments of a dive
• Hovering
PROJECT AWARE
To enroll in the Project AWARE Specialty program, participants need not be
certified divers nor have any prior scuba or snorkeling experience. There is no
minimum age requirement. The Project AWARE Specialty program is designed to familiarize divers and nondivers with the plight of worldwide aquatic ecosystems. It also describes what individuals can do to help protect aquatic resources.
This course covers information about aquatic ecosystem degradation along
with conservation measures to protect aquatic resources. It covers information about coral reef distribution, diversity, formation and ecology. It also reveals factors that threaten reefs and discusses conservation measures to protect these living. It
encourages participants to get involved in local conservation efforts and learn more about the aquatic environment.
SEARCH AND RECOVERY
This course is designed to be an introduction to search and recovery diving, and includes the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems,
and hazards of search and recovery diving. Limited-visibility diving and underwater navigation techniques. Proper techniques and safety considerations for object location, whether you are searching for a ring, or an outboard engine.The use of various search patterns, lines and reels. Proper techniques and safety considerations for recovery of objects using various lifting devices.
UNDERWATER NATURALIST
This course is an introduction to aquatic life including an overview of responsible
human interactions with aquatic life. Included in this course will be the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of diving in different aquatic environments. A basic overview of major aquatic life groupings (kingdoms and phyla). Factual information that dispels myths of potentially dangerous aquatic life. An overview of basic aquatic life interactions and associations. Responsible human interactions with aquatic life. Diving technique used to help preserve bottom dwelling aquatic life and minimize aquatic life disturbance.
UNDERWATER NAVIGATOR
The purpose of the PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty course is to familiarize
divers with the skills, knowledge, planning, organization, procedures, techniques,
problems, hazards and enjoyment of underwater navigation. Training emphasizes fun and safety. The course includes methods of estimating distances underwater. Natural navigation techniques. Using underwater patterns. Dive site relocation techniques. Compass navigation techniques.
UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER
This course covers basic underwater photography with special emphasis on
practical photographic techniques. It will include the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of underwater-photography, diving photographic principles, composition, film types, flash/available light photography and camera-handling techniques. The preparation, care and maintenance of photographic equipment.
UNDERWATER VIDEOGRAPHER
This course is designed to introduce divers to the selection, use and
care of underwater videography equipment, and the basic principles of underwater
video production. It includes the selection, maintenance, care and handling of underwater video equipment. Safe diving practices while using underwater video equipment. Exposure, focus, and maintaining color with video equipment. Shot types, lengths and camera moves. Developing a story line and shot sequencing. The planning, organization, procedures, techniques and problems of underwater videography.
WRECK DIVER
The purpose of this course is to introduce a diver to the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of wreck diving including the preparation and use of lights, air supplies, special equipment,penetration lines and reels. Limited-visibility diving techniques and emergency procedures.